The present invention is directed to a filter container having a mounting plate made of sintered material. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a filter container for pressurized fluids, the filter container having a mounting plate made of sintered material.
Filter containers for annular filter elements used to filter liquids such as hydraulic fluid, lubricating oil, and the like have mounting plates made of metal stampings for supporting annular filter elements. The metal stampings are usually made steel and require costly tooling which can not be provided quickly. Since the stamping are circular there is considerable waste which must be disposed of. Moreover, stampings limit mounting plates to plates of a constant thickness, which for high pressure applications frequently requires complex geometries in order to increase strength. Consequently, engineering and tooling efforts and as well costs for the mounting plates are relatively high and lead time for new designs is relatively long. In order to accommodate these limitations of stamped mounting plates, there is a tendency to avoid complex geometries, which geometries might be advantageous in configurations for filter mounting plates.
In view of these considerations, there is a need for a better way to configure mounting plates which does not have the disadvantages inherent in mounting plates configured by stamping.
The present invention is directed to a filter container having a filter element therein for supporting an annular filter media for filtering fluid used by a machine. The filter container comprises a cylindrical housing having a closed end and an open end. An annular mounting plate is positioned proximate the open end of the cylindrical housing and in accordance with the invention is molded of sintered metal and has a cross section of non-uniform thickness. The annular mounting plate supports the annular filter media thereon and has a central threaded opening therethrough for theadably coupling with a stand pipe of a machine using the fluid to be filtered. An annular cover is disposed over the annular mounting plate for holding the mounting plate in the housing, the cover being fixed to the housing at a peripheral portion of the housing.
In a further aspect of the invention, the mounting plate has unitary, spaced filter supports thereon defining channels therebetween, which channels allow fluid flow.
In still a further aspect of the invention, the spaced filter supports are lugs disposed adjacent the periphery of the plate and radially spaced from the threaded opening. And in still another aspect of the invention, the filter support are radially extending ribs.
In an additional aspect of the invention, the mounting plate includes a plurality of spaced holes therethrough, which are evenly spaced from the central opening to allow for circulation of fluid to or from the central opening after the fluid has passed through the filter media.
In still other aspects of the invention, the sintered metal is aluminum and weld projections are on the mounting plate to facilitate welding to the cover to the mounting plate.